Dr. Don DeForge Silver Sands Veterinary

Silver Sands Veterinary Center Saying Good-Bye Pet Loss and Children The Human-Animal Bond Series DH DeForge, VMD A child's loss of their first pet is one of the most significant moments in a young person's life.  How the child understands and copes with the loss can change how they perceive a multitude of problems in their lives. Dr. Leo Buscaglia writes in his famous book about life and death for children: The Fall of Freddie the Leaf  the following: "Freddie the Leaf landed on a clump of snow. It somehow felt soft and even warm. In this new position he was more comfortable than he had ever been. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. He did not know that Spring would follow Winter and that the snow would melt into water. He did not know that what appeared to be his useless dried self would join with the water and serve to make the tree stronger. Most of all, he did not know that there, asleep in the tree and the ground, were already plans for new leaves in the Spring....

Silver Sands Veterinary Center  "The Soul of Unconditional Love" The Human-Animal Bond  The Human-Animal Bond must be experienced!  The unconditional love of a child for his dog or cat cannot be explained in words.  The love the animal brings to the child brings comfort to a world that is full of problems.  The child can see in the dog happiness, friendship, loyalty, and most importantly that special constant gift of love.  The Human-Animal Bond or the Soul of Unconditional Love is the    spiritual and non-material component of a human allied with animal, in a special time shared as one.  This is not a religious bond; this is not a bond of philosophical linkage; this is a real and strong sharing of time and space as one entity. The AVMA in 1998 states the following: Human-Animal Bond:  The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and other animals that is influenced by behaviors that are essentia...

Silver Sands Veterinary Salutes a Nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala Yousafzai We many times take freedom for granted in the United States.  We never comprehend the fact that freedom of education is not universal and it is not always available for any  and all  who seek to improve themselves  Malala Yousafzai sacrificed her life for her belief in freedom of education.  Only due to a miracle she is alive today.  This blog has no need for interpretation.  Please read it and share it with your children who may be complaining about the difficulty of school, their homework, or the way school inhibits their free time.  Maybe tomorrow they will get up with a completely different opinion of what freedom of education truly means and its importance to all! 'I don't deserve Nobel yet', says Malala Yousafzai Tag:      Malala Yousafzai ,   Pakistan ,  Education ,   Taliban ,  Nobel Peace Prize Last Updat...

Silver Sands Veterinary Center DH DeForge, VMD St. Francis of Assisi and  The Human-Animal Bond Part III Blessing of Animals   by Kevin E. Mackin, O.F.M. As autumn arrives, people in various places may notice something odd. A procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even horses, is led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets. This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey. Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things. “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.” And there was testimony in the cause for St. Clare of Assisi’s canonization that referred to her little cat! That there are today over 62 million cats in the U.S. attests to the contin...

Silver Sands Veterinary Center Loving Your Companion The Core Four of the Human Animal Bond  Donald H. DeForge, VMD New York Yankees Core Four By  Ryan Nakada  | September 24, 2013 Andy Pettitte (1995-2003, 2007-2010, 2012-13, 18-year career, 15 spent with the Yankees, 3 with the Astros) Mariano Rivera (1995-2013, 19-year career, all with the Yankees) Derek Jeter (1995-present, 19-year career, and counting, all with the Yankees) Jorge Pasada Catcher-1990 and now retired As a group, they were a part of the New York Yankees’ dynasty of the late 1990’s. Before 1995, the last time the Yankees made the postseason was 1981. 12 Postseason Appearances. Eight Division Championships Five World Series Championships (1996, 1998-2000, 2009) Individually, these players have made their own impacts with some outstanding achievements. In the 22nd round of the 1990 Major League Baseball draft, Andrew Eugene Pettitte was selected. Andy Pettitte holds the Yankees franchise record for strikeo...